Machine for making tubs and the like



Aug; 20, 1940. A. M. WALSTROM "MACHINE FOR MAKING TUBS AND THE LIKEFiled Sept. 29, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVE/VTd'? was; m was raw/v FW'OP/E Y A. M. WALSTROM 2,212,487

MACHINE FQR MAKING TUBS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 29, 1938 e Sheets-Sheet2 Aug. 20, 1940.

Aug. 20, 1940. A. M. WALSTROM I MACHINE FGR MAKING TUBS AND THE LIKEFiled Sept. 29, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 mg g Q m mm 3 REQ 3 1940- A. M.WALSTROM 2,212,487

MACHINE FOR MAKING TUBS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 29, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet4 Aug. 20, 1940.

A. M. WALSTROM MACHINE FOR MAKING TUBS AND THE LIKE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5Filed Sept. 29, 1938 Aug. 20, 1940. M WALSTRQM I 2,212,487

MACHINE FOR MAKING TUBS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 29, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet6 I //v/ /v7m Li?- 7 I flXfL mw/uqrfian Patented Aug. 20, 1940 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE Axel M. Walstrom, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor toThe Creamery Package Mfg. Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation ofIllinois Application September 29, 1938, Serial No. 232,295

7 Claims.

The invention relates to machinery for the manufacture of tubs and likecontainers of wooden stave construction, and more particularly to amachine for automatically assembling a set 5 of staves and a bottom inaccurate standard form and driving the hoops thereon to uniformposition.

In the coopering of butter tubs and similar containers, it is commonpractice to arrange manually a set of pre-jointed tapered staves re- 10quired for a tub within a pair of heavy steel rings or truss hoops, thusforming a shell in the form of a tub. The assembly is placed in'a presswhere the nails are forced firmly into place about the staves. Thetrussed shell of staves is then 15 placed in a machine wherein pressurerollers are applied to the inside surfaces of the staves to force theiradjoining edges flush with the steel rings, to efiect a smooth exteriortub surface. The ring trussed shell is then placed in aspecial lathewhere the staves are trimmed and crozed for the reception of a tubbottom. The truss ring at the bottom or smaller end of the shell next isremoved, permitting the bottom end portions of the staves to separateand expand circumferen- 25 tially while the wooden disc bottom is forcedinto position in the croze groove. Following next, a chime hoop isforced over the re-compressed bottom ends of the staves, securing thestaves and bottom in tight assembly. This operation is fre- 30 quentlydone in a special machine. Thereafter the other truss ring is removedand the assembly is placed in another special machine where two lightmetal hoops are driven into permanent place to complete the tubassembly. The tub is then 35 sanded exteriorly to finish the surface.

The foregoing series of operations requires an assembly line of benches,a number of special machines and several workmen. They require themanual handling of the heavy ring-trussed as- 40 semblies, and skillfulmanipulation of the machines to secure uniform finished tubs.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an automaticmachine which will receive a loose set of trimmed and crozed staves,together 45 with a bottom and the requisite hoops, and during its cycleof operation will completely assemble staves, bottom and hoops into atight smooth finished tub.

Another object is to provide automatic means 50 for controlling thesuccessive operations of the' machine to compress the staves, roll theminto position forming a smooth outer contour, and to drive the hoops toa uniform standard position on the tub.

55 Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the followingdetailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which Ihave selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings. It willbeunderstood, hwever,'that various changes in form, construction andarrangement may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appendedclaims,

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a front view of the machinein elevation. Fig. 2 is a sectional side view in elevation taken on theplane of the line 2-2 in Fig l. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken onthe planes of the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a partial sectional plan'view, and Fig. 5 a partial front view in elevation,

of the parts of the machine employed in introducing a set of staves, thesectional division of Fig. 4 being taken on the plane of the line 4-- lin Fig. 5. Fig. 6 is a partial side View in elevation in which the stavecompression members are shown in uppermost position. Fig. '7 is apartial rear view in elevation illustrating the operating controlmechanism, and Fig. 8 is a detailed view of the latter in changedposition. Fig. 9 is a detailed view of another part of the controlmechanism. Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate the bottom hoop carrier. Fig. 12is a detailed sectional plan view of the mounting of the pistonelevating crank shafts.

Generally stated, the operative arrangement of the machine as hereinillustrated comprises a hinged table upon which may be laid out aserially arranged set of tub staves. Upon swinging the table to verticalposition, the staves maybe pushed laterally from the table into a pairof circular upper and lower stave end guides wherein a tub bottom issupported, thus forming a loose assembly of staves and bottom intubform. Lowering the table to horizontal position oper- 40 ates to swingthe upper stave guide free of the assembly, whereupon the operatormanually places the requisite hoops loosely upon the stave assembly. Themachine is then put in operation, causing a group of segmentalstave-compressing and hoop-driving members to be lowered about thestave'assembly. These members engage the hoops and draw them intoposition, and at the same time radially compress the assembly of stavesinto tight lateral contact. Meanwhile a stave rolling device, positionedinside of the tub assembly, operates to press the stave edges intosmooth contour against the compression members. The compression membersbeing locked in lowermost position by an overhead toggle device,

a piston, which supports the lower ends of the staves, is actuated withan upward thrust to finally drive the compressed staves tightly into thehoops held by the compression members. Thereafter, the compressionmembers are released and withdrawn from the finished tub,

which may then be removed manually, the machine being then ready forrepetition 'of the cycle.

More specifically described with reference to the drawings, the numeral2| indicates a curved table having width and length adapted toaccommodate a set of trimmed and crozed staves 22 laid out on itssurface in edge to edge relation and in requisite number for one tub.The staves are.

retained upon the table by side flanges 23 and p 24, and by overlyingbars 25 and 26 secured by suitable brackets fastened to the flanges 23and 24.

The table is supported for swinging movement by hinges 21 secured to theunderside of the table and to a bar 28, the latter being pivotallysupported upon a pair of arms 29 and 30 secured respectively upon theshafts 3| and 32 having suitable bearings 33 and 3d mounted on the frameards 3B and 3%.

entry of the staves.

cross members 35 and, 35 secured in the spaced machine frame standards3?, 38 and 39. In horizontal position, the table 2! rests upon a pair ofstops 30 mounted on the frame standardiii.

The table 2| is normally in horizontal position as shown in Figs. 1 and3. To begin operation of the machine, a set of staves 22 is laid out onthe table, the latter is swung on-the hinges 21 into vertical positionand moved endwardly on the pivoted arms 29 and SE) to the position shownin Figs. 4 and 5. In this position of the table, the staves 22 aremanually. moved from the table into a stave supporting guide ring M ofwhich the flanged bottom is secured to the frame stand- The guide ringis provided with an entry slot 4-2 through which the lower ends of thestaves pass as they are pushed from the adjacent end of the liftedtable. With the: en-

tire set pushed into the guide ring M, the staves form a loose tubassembly.

During the movement of the staves from the table into the guide ring 4!,the upper ends of the staves are guided by a flanged guide plate 43,having a slot Al in its downturned flange for The guide platei l3 issupported for movement into operative position coincidentally with theswinging of the table 2| into vertical position for discharging a set ofstaves.

A pair of arms @5 support the guide plate by pive t otal connection witha pair of lugs formed on the endward movement of the table 2| toward theguide ring 4! efiects the swinging of the guide plate'M into positionover the guide ring 4| to receive the upper ends of the staves whenpushed from the table into the guide ring, as shown in Fig. 5. Thereverse movement of the table effects the swinging of the guide plateaway from the upper ends of the staves assembled in the guide ring andinto the position shown in Fig. 2,;

whereit remains during the operating cycle of the machine. l

Before swinging the guide plate 43 into posifully described hereinafter.

tion to receive the staves, a tub bottom 52 (Fig. 2) is manually placedupon the upper end of a stave alining device positioned inwardly of thestaves when assembled in the guide ring, and The guide plate 43, carriesa rotatable disc 53 mounted concentrically with the plate &3 andsupported on a pivot bolt 5 When guide plate 43 is swung into positionto receive the staves, the disc 53 bears upon the tub bottom 52 andsecures it in position for the. entering staves to pass around it withtheir croze grooves in register with the periphery of the tub bottom. 7

' Within the guide ring 4| is a piston 55 having a peripheralfiangedfiupon which rest the lower ends ofthe staves 22, the piston 55 beingvertically movable. through a short stroke. The piston 55 is operativelysupported on two pairs of connecting rods 57 having wrist pinconnections 58 in brackets'forrned on the lower side of the piston 55,and actuated by a pair of crank shafts 58 journaled in the lower end ofa crank case 65! supported on cross frame'rods E5 and 36 secured in theframe members El, 38 and 38. The connecting rods 5? are mounted. on thecrank pin portions 65 (Fig. 12) of the two crank shafts. The,,t wo crankshafts are operated in opposite synchronous rotation by two pairs ofinter-meshing spur gears 62, one of the crank shafts being driven by apair of gears 63.; driven by a pair of pinions E i fixed on shaft 65carrying a pairof gears 6 in driven mesh with a pair of pinions Si fixedon the main drive shaft 68 journaled on the frame members 3'12, 38 and39, and carrying a drive pulley 69.

Extending vertically through the center of the piston 55 is a rotatableshaft iii journaled in the piston and in the bottom portion of the crankcase 68. Vertical shaft it is driven by a spline mountedbevel gear H indriven; mesh with a 78 each carrying four resilient rollers 19 adaptedto contact the inside surfaces of the tub staves and press them intosurface alinement against the outside hoop driving-rings laterdescribed. A pair of cam plates 8|! are fixed on the upright shaft l0,one above and one below the hub 75.

The cams 8|! engage the roller shafts '58 at their upper and lower ends,forcing the rollers into pressure contact with the staves and rotatingthe entire roller supporting assembly.

After a set of staves has been pushed into the guide ring M and guideplate 43. and loosely assembled around the tub bottom, guided inside bythe radial flanges 16, the operator moves the table 2| back and lowersit to horizontal position. thereby swinging the guide plate 33 up andaway from the staves. The operator then rnanually places two wire hoops8| over the staves, and also places achime hoop 82 ona guide fixture(Figs. 10 and 11) and places thaton the upper h The chime hoop guidefixends of the staves. ture comprises a split ring 83, having a slightlytapered outer periphery adapted to sup-port the chime hoop 82, thelatter having spaced indentations in register with an annular groove titformed in the periphery of the ring for properly position- "sembly ofstaves.

' right frame standards 9I.

ingthe hoop on the ring. A split guide sleeve 85 is positioned withinthe ring 83, one edge portion of the sleeve extending outwardly of thering. The sleeve is retained in position by spaced pins 86 mounted inthe ring and extending through openings in the sleeve. With the fixturein place upon the assembly of staves, the sleeve 85 extends inwardly ofthe stave ends and the ring 83 rests upon the stave ends, thuspositioning the chime hoop for passage from the ring 83 to the endportions of the staves as the latter are compressedabout the tub bottom,as hereinafter described. The ring 83 and sleeve 85 are sufficientlyresillent to permit forcing the hoop 82 into position on the staveswithout distortion-in passing from the tapered ring.

The operator, having started operation of the machine as laterdescribed, a stave compressing and hoop setting device is lowered overtheas- This device comprises a longitudinally segmental conical assemblyof members 81 adapted to slide down over the outer surface of the staveassembly, and having annular notches 88 formed in their inner surfacesto engage the wire hoops 8| and move them downwardly on the staves untilthe lower ends of the members 81 engage the upper edge of the guide ring4|. The members 81 are supported in normal lateral contact and alinementby a coiled spring 89 lying in an annular groove formed in the outersurfaces ofthe members 81. The latter are further supported within apair of outwardly contacting, spaced compression rings 99 having lateralguiding support on four up- The upper compression ring 99 normally liftsthe members 81 and supports them in disengaged position by means of theradial flanges 92 formed on the upper ends of the members 81 and restingupon the ring. As the members 8? engage the tub staves in descending,the rings 99 pass down the conical assembly of the members and compressthem inwardly upon the staves, forcing the latter into lateralengagement with each other, and establishlng the outer contour of thefinished tub.

Embracing the upper or inverted bottom ends of the staves assembledabout the tub bottom, is

another portion of the stave compressing and,

hoopsetting device comprising an assembly of.

L-shaped segmental members 93, the lower arcuate legs of which pass downaround the ends of the staves. The members 83 have inner notches 94forming an annular shoulder which engages the chime hoop 82 and forcesit off the I hoop supporting ring 83 and onto the compressed stave ends.The members 93 are laterally supported within a third compression ring95, func-' tioning similarly to the rings 99 and also laterally guidedby the standards 9I. The members I 99 are suspended from ,an annularcross head 96 having oversize openings in its inner portion throughwhich bolts 91 loosely pass and are secured in the upper legs of themember 93. The cross head 96 is also laterally supported and guided bythe standards 9i. Further support for the cross head 99 and thesuspended members 93, adapted to maintain proper spaced relation betweenthe members 93 and the lower compression members 3?, is provided by anannular group of vertical spacer bars 99 secured in the outer flangeportion of the cross head, extending freely through the compression ring95 and endwardly abutting the flanges 92 on the upper ends of themembers 91.

The two compression rings 99 and ring 95 are on a drive shaft I94journaled in side frame members I95, the latter being supported on theupright standards Ill, 99 and another rear pair of upright standardsI99. A pair of rollers I97 are mounted on stub shafts I99 secured in theframe members I95, and are positioned in front of the sprockets I93 toprevent the chains from. jumping off the sprockets. From the drivingsprockets I93 the chains pass over a pair of. idler sprockets I99loosely mounted on a shaft III: fixed in the frame members I955, thencedownward and attached to a counterweight III vertically slidable on theguide standards 49.

The shaft l 94 is driven by a conventional worm gear drive unit H2 ofwhich the worm shaft H3 extends through a splined sleeve I I l and aloose pulley I I9 driven by a belt I I9 driven in turn by a reversibleelectric motor Ill. The pulley II 5 carries a conventional frictionclutch M9 controlled by and driving the sliding splined sleeve I I4. Thesleeve I I9 is oppositely connected with a similar friction clutch II9carried by a pulley I29 loosely mounted on the shaft I I9 and securedagainst rotation by attachment to a frame cross bar IZI, wherebyengagement of the clutch I I9 functions as a brake on the shaft H3.

Automatic operation of the chain drive actuating motor Hi, to lower thestave compressing and hoop-setting mechanism and to elevate it again, isinitiated by a foot pedal I22, laterally supported by a pivoted link I29and pivotally attached at its upper end to a lever I29 fixed on a rockshaft I extending rearwardly. The rock shaft I25 is journaled insuitable bearing brackets mounted on cross frame members I29 and I 27,and rearwardly carries another fixed lever I28 pivotally connected to alink. bar I29 which is oppositely connected to a cam lever I39 fixed onanother rock shaft I 9i journaled in a suitable bearing bracket mountedon a cross frame member I92, and in the guide ring 9 I. The upperportion of the cam lever I39 is formed with two lateral cam lobes :93and I 3 describing an intermediate recess. The cam portion of the leverI39 is in operative contact with the swinging handle I of a conventionalreversing switch I36 controlling the electric power circuits to themotor I I1.

The handle I35 is provided with a roller I3? which is positioned withinthe recess between the two cam lobes when the switch is in neutral orofi position. Stepping on the pedal I22 operates the cam lobe I39 tothrow the switch. handle I35 to that side which starts the motor H1 indirection to lower the stave compressing and hoop-setting mechanism uponthe staves, and consequently to raise the I counterweight III. The rockshaft I3! carries also a fixed vertical lever I38 having pivotalconnection with a link bar I39 extending upwardly, and connected to apivot bracket I49 which is pivoted to a pair of bell cranks MI looselymounted on the shaft I I9 and forming a shifting yoke for conventionaloperation of the splined sleeve IM. Operation of the bars I53 areengaged, duringthe closing of the foot pedal to close the switch I38simultaneously operates the shifting cranks MI and sleeve IM to engagethe chain driving clutch IIB,

while opening the switch (positioned as shown in Fig. 7) disengages theclutch H8 and engages the brake clutch H9.

Having started the mechanism to lower the stave compressing andhoop-setting device, the counterweight IiI rises until it engages a stopI62 fixed on a vertical bar 543 extending downward and pivotallyconnected to a laterally extending lever IM fixed on the rock shaft IEI,preferably integral with lever I38.

rotating shaft Iti and cam lever I39 to return switch handle E35 to openswitch position, and releases clutch H8 and engages brake He, thusbringing the mechanism to a stop with the hoopsetting device inlowermost position about the the cross head 9%, and a pair of uppertoggle bars I l'l pivotally mounted on the chain drive shaft lot, thetwo pairs of toggle bars having pivotal connection with each other uponthe cross bar we extending through the several toggle bars. The lowertoggle bars I45 extend upwardly of the pivot bar I 18 and each has atits upper end a rearwardly extending integral horn Hi9 forming togglelook by engagement with a pair of arms I55 fixed on the drive shaft 994and carrying rollers tel which ride over the arcuate upper surfaces ofthe horns M9 when the toggle is closed and come to rest in positionshown in-Fig. 2. The lower bars Hi5 also carry opposite locking '1 lugsI52 which engage the forward edges of the members ill and 83 by means ofa pair of upwardly extending bars I53 pivotally connected to the ringsupporting cross bars IUI, and having an attached guide strap I 54embracing the toggle lower bars I555. The cam faced upper ends I55movement of the toggle members, by a pair of rollers 556 mounted on thelower rearwardly curved extended ends of the upper toggle bars hi1,which force the bars I53 downward and thereby move the rings lit and 95,throughthe cross bars Itl and ring spacer rods 99, downward into tightposition.

The mechanism for automatically starting the drive for the pistonlifting cranks 59 and the stave evening rollers 19, comprises a sleeveI51 (Figs. 3 and 9) freely mounted on the pedal shaft I25 and having apair of fixed arms I58 forming a shifting yoke in operative engagementwith a; clutch sleeve I58 splined on the main drive shaft engages abrake clutch I6I similarly mounted in Engagement with the stop I32raises bar I43 and lever I4 1,

a pulley- I62 l oo'sely mounted on the shaft 68 but secured againstrotation'by attachment to the machine frame. Mounted on the sleeve I51is a ratchet collar I63 having notches Hit and I65 (Fig. 9) engageableby dogs Hit and I61 pivoted upon a bracket I68 fixed on the shaft I25.The

dogs are drawn toward the ratchet collar by a spring I69. The dogs areL-shaped with their outer edges forming an are about the axis of theshaft I25 and positioned to be engaged by a. pair of diametricallypositioned lugs I10 and Ill on the side ofthe adjacent gear 63. A leverarm I12 (Fig. 3) is' also fixed on the pedal shaft I for engagementbylug I10 on the gear 63.

When the operator first steps on the pedal I22 to start the lowering ofthe stave compressing and hoop-setting device, the dog bracket IE8 isrotated downward so that the dog I66 drops into engagement "with notchI64 in the ratchet collar IE3. The lug I10 on gear 63 is cut away on oneside so as to allow dog I65 to engage notch Hi l while itholds dog I61out of engagement with 7 A onehalf revolution of gear"83,' which hasefiected the maximum elevation-of piston 5%,carries lug I'Ill'intoengagement with leverarm l12 which rotates 'rockshaft I25, therebyoperating through lever I28, link I29an'd cam lever I38 to throwtheswitch handle I into position 8) to reversely close the power circuit tomotor II1 This'latter movement of the cam lever I39 also operates,through its supporting shaft Itl,

the lever I38 and the link bar I35 to disengage the brakeclutch IIBandengage'the main drive clutch I IB, thereby driving the shaft'lfllinreverse direction to unlock and open the toggle members I45and I41 andto operate the chains N32 to elevate the stave compressing andhoopsetting mechanism. Some slack is provided in the chain'connection toallow the toggle to break before lifting the hoop-setting mechanism. Thechains'first lift the'rings 9E! and 95, freeing the segmental members 81and 93 to expand and release the tub, then by engagement of the upperring 99 with the flanges 92 to lift the whole structure, the togglemembers folding as shown in Fig. 6.

'When the arm I12 rotates shaft I25 to start elevating the hoop-settingdevice, the dog bracket N58 is rotated upwardly, but without effect onthe sleeve I51, as the lug I1I on gear 53 is then in position to contactthe dog H35 and lift it out of engagement 'with notch IGfi, so that thedog passes over the notch as the bracket N58 is rotated. Lug I1I is cutaway oppositely to lug I18, so that with the latter rotation of bracketI68, the dog I51 drops into engagement with notch Ififi at the end ofthe movement.

All of the mechanisms are now operating to elevate the hoop-settingdevice and to lower piston 56. When the counter-weight III reacheslowermost position it engages another stop H3 fixed on the bar I43,which operates the lever Md to shift the cam lever I38 again to neutralposition and the switch handle I35 to open position and stop the motorH1, at the same time again opening drive clutch H8 and engaging brakeclutch H9. Likewise, through link I29 and lever I28, the shaft I25 isoperated to lower the dog bracket I68, whereby the dog I61, now inengagement with notch I65, effects reverse rotation of sleeve I51, whichdisengages drive clutch IE and engages brake clutch 1M. As all of themechanisms come to rest, dog I6! is again engaged by the lug $56 whichlifts it out of notch I65, so that the dogs are for repetition of theoperating cycle.

The operator now removes the chime hoop retainer from the tub, andremoves the finished tub from the guide ring 34, whereupon the machineis ready for the entry of a new set of staves and repetition of theoperation.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for finally assembling a loosely as sembled set of containerstaves and a bottom and for positioning side hoops and a chime hoopthereon comprising in combination, supporting means for said assembledstaves and bottom, an annular group of spaced segmental members movableinto outward contact with said assembled staves, said members havingnotches in their stave contacting surfaces adapted to en gage side hoopsloosely positioned on said staves and to move said hoops into tightengagement with said staves, a guide fixture positioned endwardly ofsaid staves adjacent said bottom and adapted to support a chime hoop, asecond annular group of spaced segmental members movable into outwardcontact with the end portions of said staves adjacent said bottom, saidlatter members having notches adapted to engage a chime hoop supportedon said guide fixture and move said chime hoop from said fixture to andupon the adjacent end portions of said staves, a pair of compressionrings mounted on said first group of members, another compression ringmounted on said second group of members, said rings being movablelongitudinally of said members respectively tocompress said members andthereby compressing said staves to receive said hoops and secure saidbottom, means for moving both groups of said members into and out ofcontact with said staves, and means for moving said compression ringslongitudinally of said members respectively. I

2. A device for finally assembling a loosely assembled set of containerstaves and a bottom and for positioning side hoops and a chime hoopthereon comprising in combination, supporting means for said staves andbottom, an annular group of spaced segmental members movable intooutward contact with said staves, a second annular group of spacedsegmental members mcvable intooutward contact with the end portions ofsaid staves, each of said groups of members having hoop-engaging notchesformed in their stave contacting surfaces, a pair of compression rings.mounted on said first group of members, another compression ring mountedon said second group of members, said rings being movable longitudinallyof said members respectively to compress said members and therebycompress said staves, an end flange formed on each of said first groupof members, said end flanges having supporting engagement with one ofsaid pair of rings when in retracted position, a cross head looselyattached to said second group of members, a plurality of spacer barssecured in said cross head and normally abutting the ends of said firstgroup of members, a plurality of connecting rods secured to saidcompression rings, a cross bar attached to said connecting rod's, meansfor moving said cross bar and thereby said rings and both groups of saidmembers to and from said staves, a toggle mechanism connected to saidcross head and operable sembled set of container staves, bottom andhoops comprising in combination, supporting means for said staves, meansfor compressing said staves and for positioning said hoops thereupon,means for locking said stave-compressing and hoop-positioning means inpressure engagement with said staves, a rotatable support positionedwithin said assembled staves in co-axial relation thereto, a rollershaft loosely mounted on said support, a roller operatively mounted onsaid shaft adjacent the inner surfaces of said staves, a rotatable camhaving engagement with said shaft and operable through said shaft torotate said support and to move said roller into pressure contact withsaid staves, and means for rotating said cam.

l. A device for finish assembling a loosely assembled set of containerstaves, bottom and hoops comprising in combination, supporting means forsaid staves, means for compressing said staves and for positioning saidhoops thereupon, means for locking said stave-compressing andhoop-positioning means in pressure engagement with said staves,rotatable means positioned for operative contact with the inner surfacesof said staves and operable to move adjacent staves into surfacealinement, a reciprocatory member positioned adjacent the ends of saidstaves, said member being operable to engage and force said staves whileunder compression into final position within said hoops, and,

means for reciprocating said member.

5. A device for finish assembling aloosely assembled set of containerstaves, bottom and hoops comprising in combination, supporting means forsaid staves, means for compressing said staves and for positioning saidhoops thereupon, means for locking said stave-compressing andhoop-positioning means in pressure engagement with said staves, arotatable shaft positioned coincident with the axis of said staveassembly, ahub freely mounted on said shaft and having a plurality ofradially slotted flanges, a plurality of shafts supported respectivelyin said radial slots, rollers mounted on each of said shafts, saidrollers being adapted to contact the inner surfaces of said staves, anda pair of cam plates secured to said rotatable shaft, said cam plateshaving operative contact with the respective roller shafts effectiveupon rotation of said rotatable shaft to move said rollers into pressurecontact with said staves and to revolve said rollers and roller shaftsabout the axis of said rotatable shaft.

6. A device for finish assembling a loosely assembled set of containerstaves, bottom and hoops comprising in combination, means for laterallysupporting said staves, means for compressing said staves and forpositioning said hoops thereupon, means for locking saidstavecompressing and hoop-positioning means in pressure engagement withsaid staves, means positioned within said assembled staves for rollingsaid staves into uniform surface contour, a reciprocatory piston mountedwithin said stave supporting means and abutting the ends of said staves,crank means having operative connection with said piston, and means foroperating said crank means during the period of compression of saidstaves whereby said piston is moved to force said staves endwardly intofinal position within saidhoops.

'7. A device for finish assembling a loosely assembled set of containerstaves, bottom and hoops comprising in combination, supporting means'forsaid staves and bottom, means movable into outward engagement with saidstaves for compressing said staves and for positioning said hoopsthereupon, means operable to lock said stave compressing andhoop-positioning m'e'a'ns in pressure engagement with said staves,

rotatable means for rolling said staves into uniform surface contour,reciprocatory means for forcing said staves into final position withinsaid Thoops, intermittent reversible actuating means for saidstave-compressing and hoop -positioning means and for said lockingmeans, a control clutch for said actuating means, intermittent drivingmeans for said stave rolling means and for said final stave pnositidningmeans, a control clutch for said driving means, a reversible prime moverfor said actuating means having a power cut-ofi and reversing switch, acontinuously operableprime mover for said driving means, an automatictrip means controlling said clutch for said actuating means andpartially controlling said switch, and a second automatic trip meanscontrolling said clutch for said driving means j and partiallycontrolling said switch, the opera-' tion of said pair of controllingtrip means being initiated by hand to cause said actuating means to movesaid stave-compressing and hoop-positioning means into pressureengagement with said staves and to lock the same in said position,

and said pair of controlling trip means being automatically operablethereafter in sequence to stop operation of said actuating means tostart operation of said driving means for driving said stave rollingmeans and said reciprocatory stave

